The care industry in the UK is facing serious staffing shortages and has been for years now. The COVID-19 pandemic caused huge waves worldwide, but the care industry was particularly hard-hit. One of the stand-out options for bridging the staffing gap is hiring international healthcare professionals.

However, the issue with hiring outside of the UK is that the UK is no longer part of the EU. As such, foreign healthcare professionals require sponsorship to take up a position in UK care homes or as live-in carers.

In this blog, Four Oaks Healthcare explores visa sponsorship as an option for fixing the care staff shortages. 

What is Carer Visa Sponsorship?

Carer visa sponsorship in the UK is a process where an employer sponsors a foreign healthcare worker’s visa to work in the UK. This process requires the employer to demonstrate to UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) that they cannot find a suitable candidate for the job from the UK and that the foreign worker has the necessary qualifications and experience to fill the role. 

With carer visa sponsorship in the UK, the employer is responsible for supporting the worker through the visa application process and for complying with certain obligations under UK immigration law.

How Could Visa Sponsorship Solve Staff Shortages?

Visa sponsorship can help solve staff shortages by enabling employers to recruit foreign workers to fill vacancies. In addition, by sponsoring a foreign healthcare worker’s visa, employers can tap into a wider pool of talent, including individuals who might not otherwise be able to work in the UK due to immigration rules. 

This helps ensure essential services, like healthcare, stay fully staffed and continue providing patients top-notch care. Plus, visa sponsorship is a win-win situation as it gives foreign workers a chance to gain valuable work experience and contribute to the UK economy. 

How can Care Homes Apply for a Sponsor Licence?

UK care homes and home care providers need to apply for a sponsor licence from the Home Office in order to hire workers without an existing right to work in the UK.  Once a licence is obtained, employers can then ‘sponsor’ overseas care workers to work in the UK under the Health and Care Worker visa route.

The Health and Care Worker visa allows medical professionals to work in the UK and offers benefits such as fast-track processing, reduced fees, and exemption from the Immigration Health Surcharge. The visa also allows overseas care workers to stay in the UK for up to five years, making it a reliable and attractive option. 

To apply for a sponsor licence, businesses must have an established presence in the UK, a fixed office address, and a suitable employee nominated as an ‘Authorising Officer’. The application process involves an online form, supporting documentation submission, and fee payment. Processing times for the sponsor licence and visa can take several weeks, so it’s best to apply as soon as possible.

This process is rather long and tedious, but as the UK is no longer part of the EU, and with mounting staff shortage concerns, this is a very important avenue for hiring. If you require more information about the process, read through the Home Office guidance.